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Sketchy on specifics now, compares it to flood relief and then recovery
By Guy Page
Yesterday, Governor Phil Scott met with Burlington business leaders to hear concerns about downtown crime, homelessness, and drug abuse. Today, at his weekly press conference, he promised in the next few weeks to deliver a ‘blueprint’ of state assistance to the leaders of the struggling Queen City.
Burlington’s largest city is losing business, tax income, and quality of life due to the proliferation of residents who are homeless and/or abusing drugs. The business community is increasingly frustrated with the unwillingness or inability of city leaders, led by Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, to stem the crime and disorderly behavior throughout the downtown business district.
Scott declined to offer specifics but said, “I don’t want this to be just a short-term solution. We want this to work over time, to get to the second part, the recovery.”
“I said during the meeting yesterday, I look at this as like a crisis that they’re facing, much like a flood, and first thing that we need to do is respond to the flooding and help people, and then the recovery part after. So there’ll be a two step process. But first things first.”
The governor said he’s not done with talking to Burlingtonians. He wants to meet with community residents and representatives of UVM and Champlain College. But the business owners, although from all points of the political compass, were “all speaking with pretty much one voice. They want action. They want to see something done.”
“I can’t help but wonder if our problems grow because the response and resources don’t exist in other cities and towns and people are coming here.”
Burlington City Councilor Mark Barlow
The Burlington Daily News reported yesterday that City Councilor Mark Barlow worries the planned safe injection site may actually draw drug abusers from out-of-town: “I can’t help but wonder if our problems grow because the response and resources don’t exist in other cities and towns and people are coming here,” Barlow said Monday night at the City Council meeting.
At his Wednesday press conference, Scott was asked what he thinks of Barlow’s statement. “I agree wholeheartedly with the councilor,” he said. “It’s an attraction, it enables. I don’t think it’s a path forward.”
“I agree wholeheartedly with the councilor. It [the safe injection site] is an attraction, it enables. I don’t think it’s a path forward.”
Gov. Phil Scott
He said he hopes the site, AKA the Overdose Prevention Center, will never be built and expressed skepticism it ever will be.
Scott said he only signed the bill delivering state money for the safe injection site pilot project because it was part of an opioid settlement bill that includes funding for substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery programs that were worth funding, he said.
On other issues, Gov. Scott said the increasing popularity of high-powered e-bikes means Vermont should move towards better protections for drivers, but probably in response to a national trend, he said. As a race car driver, motorcylist, and bike rider, he always wears a helmet.
The governor also declared this week’s federal court ruling allowing Mid-Vermont Christian School to resume playing interscholastic sports a “very narrow ruling.”
In 2023, the Vermont Principals’ Association banned MVA from interscholastic play because on grounds of conscience and concern for safety it refused to allow its girls’ basketball team to take the court against the Long Trail School and its biologically-male center.
While defending the VPA decision, he said that “we should allow kids to play and I think that this strikes that balance….everyone got something out of it, and we will continue to do what we think is right.”
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Categories: Burlington
Does the Burlington Mayor and left wing counsel realize their asking a Republican for help!!! I’m sure President Trump would love to help!!!
Scott is a republican in name only. He is not a conservative.
The Burlington progressives’ way of “helping people” is what got the city into the condition it currently suffers from. The Governor should give the city ample advice, and nothing more. He can provide the local left wing media the opportunity to post a Gerald Ford-esque headline: “SCOTT TO CITY: DROP DEAD”.
Harsh, however I’ll drink to that.
A blueprint of help? What does that mean? Anyone with a functional brain knows why Burlington is such a mess. Until we start having an honest conversation with the city council members up there anything else is just a waste of time, resources, and money.
” opioid settlement bill”
So, when this settlement money runs out, will this be another program that will be dumped on the taxpayers? Three guesses, and the first two don’t count.
As long as it’s just a “blueprint” and not green backs for progressives to flush down the toilet, like all the rest of the money that they extort from taxpayers .
If Phil Scott is going to give even $1 to the City of Burlington to fix the problem they’ve created themselves, he can say goodbye to Governorship. Hell I’ll even primary the man….
It seems that Mark Barlow wants all communities to provide safe injection sites and clean needles for addicts. Hey, Mark, we want to discourage use, not encourage.
Burlington needs to rid itself of the mayor, the city council and the state needs to dismiss Sarah George since she places politics above her job. So those things and maybe Burlington will get better.
Unfortunately, all of the aforementioned marxists have been elected, some repeatedly, by a majority of voters, so the blame belongs there. As with a serious substance abuser, first we have to admit we have a problem.
I know nothing about safe injection sites. Do you bring your own drugs, does the state or city furnish them or do you buy it in the parking lot before going in?
Radical leftists operate in incremental steps. First, the facility is set up and operating, then the next proposal for “harm reduction” is introduced. Because the street drugs are dangerous and unregulated, we must now insure a clean supply, and to reduce criminal activity for funding one’s addiction, they will be provided by the generous cornucopia of taxpayer funds. It’s not hard to figure these people out. What is difficult to understand is why ANYONE would vote for these enablers.
Stanak is the Jezebel of Burlington…
Sorry Governor – The horrific situation that has turned Burlington from America’s safest city into a filthy drug den overbrimming with violent crime is NOTHING akin to a “flood”.
A flood is a natural disaster or “act of God” as an insurance actuary might describe it as.
This mess was man-made by you, the VT legislature, and the Burlington Mayor & her council through their radical, revolutionary, & Godless failed priorities and policies.
You all ASKED FOR THIS!!!!!!!!!!!
Try: PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
Keep pushing those FEDERALLY ILLEGAL “safe injection sites” – yet another leftist oxymoron, much like the morons who advocate for them.
Burlington business leaders v. City Hall. A municipal matter that should be rectified by the People. The blueprint is in the oath, ordinances, the Constitution – if all were to be followed and enforced. Does the corporation of Burlington have such documentation, rules and procedures? If the CEO, CFO, and board of directors do not do their job – fire them.
Riding in on his electrified chariot, Lord Governor Scott, promising a ‘blueprint’ “of state assistance to the leaders of the struggling Queen City.” (Queenie indeed!) Assistance meaning taxpayer money? One city in Vermont can’t seem to find their way out of their wet reusable, eco-friendly bag? Burlington isn’t the only one – we all know that and no one is coming to save our hides.
Is it appropriate to refer to the willfully ignorant, handsomely compenstated officials in Burlingotn as “leaders”. How embarrassing – yet they don’t have a conscience – they do have a criminal syndicate though – no doubt.
And on the 8th Day the Progressive Communists created Burlington.
Created ? How about raped and pilaged Burlington ? Those people are no better than Nero fiddling while Rome burned, and they’re still handing out matches !
Burlington voted for their problems, and haven’t voted them out. Why should we have to pay for them, along with all the other SchMuckery coming out from under the gold dome?
Second thoughts….wait a minute, sorry. Given a little thought, Burlington must have one of the highest and richest tax bases in the state, if not New England as a whole. Having had several close connections with Burlington the rest of us are pretty much considered the “little people”. You know, the door mats and what is that term, oh yeah, white trash. Think I’ll pass on subsidizing their arrogant ways.
Why the heck are “we” providing safe injection sites? Injectable recreational drugs are illegal. They are deadly. Clearly the majority of those who get narcanned are piseed at whomever administered the dose ruining their high.
Tough love. I get that there are some who do not want to die, but when I hear that individuals have been “saved” more than 10 times, I realize these are people have no regard for life.
So Burlington’s mayor drives the city into the ground, it goes up in flames, and the rest of the state has to pay for it. Why don’t the people that voted in this mayor get rid of her and pay for it themselves? They made their bed, now sleep in it.
Agree 100%. Pretty much the same thing I said.
Burlington is getting what Burlington deserves. dennis morrisseau
What in the world does Scott mean when referring to the common sense ruling in favor of Mid-Vermont Christian School being “a very narrow ruling?” What does he not understand about girls competing against girls and boys competing against boys? To allow otherwise is foolish and dangerous. What am I missing here?
I don’t want my tax dollars to go to assist Burlington to get themselves out of the mess they intentionally made for themselves; by voting for progressives ever since Bernie was mayor. They are reaping what they have sown. Why does the rest of the state have to bail them out? We have already given them 15 million for their high school that they had to have: That was well beyond replacing one building that had to be replaced do to contaminates.
And Phil as usual; you said something but really said nothing. You are a great aide to the growth of progressive rule in this state. Not sure what the heck you are trying to do.